Electroplating apparatus.



J. B. RUSS & 0. H. POLAND. ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19, 1908.

925,599, Patented June 22,1909.

. 4 17 19 4 3 l0 v 4 I 4 50 (jail/V5 R S lvan 50w .LAND, residing at Bridgeport, in the county j current leading from the cathode carried by for the electrolytic so ution, thev frame B for UNITED JOHN B. RUSS, or summon, AND (llAltLl-IS n. I-ULANI, or inunerron'r, coxsnc'riour,

assienons TO rnnnonrnr N. nassn'rr u and N r, or sum/row, CON-NEUTICU'RJA coa- PORATION or CONNECTICUT.

STATES PATENT OFF? ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

.No. 925,599. Specification. oflzetters Patent.

jPatented-TJ'une. 22, 19.09.

Application filed Augustl-19, 1908. .'.Seria1;No..449i;254.

To all who-m it may concern: of any suitable constructionprovideditsan- Be it known that we, JOHN B. Russ, rcsiding at Shelton, in the county of Fairfield and [but we prefer to 'ma-ke the same out ,of State of Connecticut, and CHARLES ll. Poi wooden boards.

The frameB consists of the end plates:1,-1 of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have made inskeleton form and rigidly connected invented a certain newand useful lmprovement in Elcctroplating Apparatus, of which the following is a s 'ecification.

Our invention re ates to electroplating apparatus and more particularly to those of the type'wherein the work to be plated is confined in a perforated 'tuinbling drum immersed or partly immersed in an electrolytic solution.

The object of ourinvention is to provide a device of this character having the return through the pipe 3 and fastened at its ends by the nuts 4, -l"formingzadraw-bolt'connection. The end plates 1, 1 :are widened'znear their upper extremities and are provided on crs'5, '5 and'S, 5- arrangr-rd tovrest on the top cdgesof the end walls a and orcspectively. Each pair of hangers is embraced bye-pair of downwardly converging guide postsi6, 6 and '6, 6"mounted on the'flanges 7, 7and'7, 7. which.latteryarebolted to the outside of the end walls a and a respectively. 7

y Integral with the end plate .1 and projectingfroni its outer face slightly above :Uldbetween the hangers 5, 5 is the clongatedbear- 'ing-sleeveS bridgingthe end wall al of'the tank, and projecting from theinner side of an independent part insulated from the solution thereby-eliminatingto a considerable I degree the disadvantageous effects due to short circuiting and the tendency of "the electrolytic bath to deposit a coating on those immersed parts of the structure made of" conducting material.

Another object is to provide a drum supporting frame suitably-designed to be suspendedfrom'the walls of the solution tank, to-carry propelling mechanism for rotating thedruni and adapted to be lifted out of the tank to enable the drum to receive-and discharge the work; and a further object is to so construct the device in its entirety that it will be strong and durable, efficient inits operation and capable of speedy and convenient mani ulation.

With tiese and other objects in view our invention consists-in the details of construc tion and manner of operation more fully described in the following specification and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to corresponding parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudi l nal section of the apparatus parts thereof being shown in elevation; Fig. 2, a transverse i section taken on line .rx'in Fig. 1, and Fig. I 3, afragmentary elevation of the end of the i tegral bearing sleeve 9. Both of thesesleeves 8 and 9 communicate with each otherthrough the end-platel and have their apertu red, portions in. axial ,alinement to form ashaft bearing for the propellinggear-Which willhcreinafter he more fully described. Thelower extremities of the end plates 1, 1 are provided with alincdapertures into which are tightly which latter passestlie stationary cathode rod 11. having its free extremity projecting beyond the end plate 1 and carrving'the lock. nut 12, and having its opposite extremity bent upwardly outside the end plate 1. to form an arlnflti'which is insulated by, a vulcanized coating 14. 'Theupper extremity of above the wall a, ofthe-t-ank to present a bracket or base plate to whichis fastened the socket plate 15,11. close electrical contactbe ing effected by compressing a thinsheet of wire gauze between these two parts. The extremity 16 of a flexible wire116, leading to device carrying the propelling gear.

' the negative electrode of the dynamo and Our device primaril comprises the tank A carrying the drum and the propelling gear, dered in the socket plate 15. and the perforated drum C. Journaled to rotate on the inner ends of The tank A having end walls a, a may be i the wooden sleeves 10, 10 is the perfoterior surface is of nonconducting-material.

at their upper extremities bythe rod 2 passed 1 their outer faces withintegral feet or hang-- the end plate 1 is a similar but shorter in thearin 13 is flattened and bent outwardly driven the wooden sleeves 10, ]()"tl'1rough preferably made of twisted strands, is sol rods, 31, 31 having their extremities carried by the end walls a, a" of the tank. Mounted drum with the exception of the insulated arm rated drum having rigidly attached to l its head 0 a sprocket 17 by n'icans of the 3 bolts 18, the latter having their heads countersunk into the interior surface of the head 0 of the drum. These bolt heads are buried in beeswax and the countersunk portions are closed by wooden disks 19 driven in to present a flush surface with the inner face of the head 0 thereby thoroughly insulating the bolt heads. A sprocket chain 20 connects the sprocket 17 with a smaller sprocket 21 which latter is keyed to the inner end of a short shaft 22 journaled to revolve in the bearing sleeves 8 and 9. Keyed to the outer end of the shaft 22 is the gear 23 meshing with a smaller gear 24 which latter is keyed to the shaft 25 journ'aled in the sleeves 26 and 27 mounted on the bracket 28 bolted to outer side of the wall a of the tank A. Keyed to l the outer end of the shaft 25 is the sprocket 29 connected by a sprocket chain (not shown) with the power shaft.

The anodes may be arranged inany well known manner, we refer, however, to use those of the type wliich curve inwardly at their lower extremities as indicated at 30 the same being suspended from the supporting on the supporting rods 31, 31 are the clam s 32, 32 in which is detachably secured tie positive wire 33 leading from the dv'namo.

To operate the apparatus the frame B is elevated by means of lifting chains (not shown) hooked on to the bar 2 until the drum C is clear of the tank. The drum is then charged with the work to be plated and the frame is lowered into the tank to a position midway between the parallel series of anodes 30, 30 the feet 5, 5 and 5', 5 being guided by the posts 6, 6 and 6, 6 until they rest on the end walls 1 and 1 respectively. The drum is thus wholly or )artially immersed intlie electrolytic solution which passes through the perforated walls of the drum and into contact with the work. The circuit is established between the positive and negative wires 33 and 16 leading from and to the electrodes of the dynamo as soon as the'cathode rod 11 becomes awash of the solution in the following manner: from contacts 32, 32 anode su porting rods 81, 31 and anodes 30, through t ie solution, into the work, and returning passes to the cathode rod 11, through the arm 13 and attached wire 16 back to the dynamo. In our a paratus none of the immersed parts outsite of the 13% are within the circuit and the tendency of these parts to take the deposit or coating is retarded. By elii'ninating the usual make and break contacts in the return circuit and forming a substantially integral connection between the extremity of the cathode arm 13 and the negative wire 16 a more perfect electrical communication established thereby producing a superior character of deposit.

The peculiar construction of the frame,

which is designed with a view of presenting a structure of minimum lightness, gives a strength and rigidity particularly adapted to firmly maintain its balance and rest so idly on the end walls of the tank when subjected to the weight of the work and severe strains of the driving and propelling mechanism. The arrangement of the feet-and guide post does away with all manual assistance when the frame is being lowered into the tank.

Having now described our invention what we claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is: I

1. In an electroplating a paratus the combination with a tank for t ie electrolytic so lution, of a frame comprising end plates rigidly connected at their upper extremities by a lifting bar and provided with integral feet arranged to rest on the walls of the tank, a stationary rodcarried by the lower extremities of said end plates, a rotatable drummounted on said rod, a sprocket rigidly connected with one end of said drum, ashaft journaled in the adjacent end plate havin its outer extremity overhanging the end wa of the tank and carrying a gear, a sprocket carried by said shaft on the opposite side of said end plate in vertical alinement with the first mentioned sprocket, a sprocket" chain connecting said sprockets, and a drivin gear mounted on the outer face of said wall and arranged to mesh with the first mentioned gear whereby when the frame is lifted the driving train will be broken between said gears.

2. In an electroplating a paratusthe combination with a tank for t e electrolytic solution, of a frame comprising end plates rigidly connected .at their upper extremities by a lifting bar and provided with integral feet arranged to rest on the walls of the tank, a stationary rod carried by the lower extremis ties of said end plates, a rotatable drum mounted on said rod, a sprocket rigidly secured to the face portion of one of the heads of said drum, a short shaft journaled in the ad jacent end plate bene'ath said lifting bar, a. sprocket keyed to the inner endiof said shaft in vertical alinement with the first mentioned sprocket, a sprocket chain connecting said sprockets, a gear keyed to the outer end of t 10 short shaft overhanging the adjacent end wall of the tank and a drivin gear mounted on the outer face of said wa and arranged to mesh with the first mentioned gear whereby when the frame is lifted the driving train will be broken between the said ears. b 3. In an electroplating apparatus a tank for the electrolytic solution, a removable if frame suspended from the walls of said tank, a stationary cathode member carried by the lower extremities of said frame, a drum mounted to rotate around said cathode member, a conductor arm projecting upwardly from one end of said cathode member between one end of the frame and the adjacent wall of the. tank, the said arm being independent of said outward projection at its upper end above the tank arranged to be permanently secured to the negative wire of the electrical circuit.

4. In an electroplating apparatus a tank for the electrolytic solution, a removable frame restin on the walls of said tank, a drum jourm Icd to rotate between the lower extremities of said frame, a stationary cathode rod mounted in said drum having its outer extremity bent upwardly between one end of the frame and adjacent wall of the tank to form a conductor arm, the said arm being independent of said frame and having its u )per extremity flattened and bent outward y above the walls of the tank to form a clam ing base and a socket piece rigidly secured to said base adapted to permanently frame and having an- I embrace the extremity of the negative wire i of the electric circuit.

5. In an electroplating apparatus a tank for the electrolytic solution, a removable frame comprising rigidly connected end plates s )aced apart and arranged to rest on the Walls of said tank, a stationary cathode rod carried by the lower extremities of said end plates, a drum mounted to revolve around said cathode rod, propellin gear for rotating said drum carried by one of said end plates, and a conductor leading upwardly from one end of said cathode rod, the said conductor being independent of said frame and arranged to have its free extremity connected with the negative wire of the electrical circuit.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 17th day of August, 1908.

JOHN B. RUSS. CHARLES H. POLAND. Witnesses:

D. W. NORTHUP, WALTER A. HOLDEN. 

